Find out how popular the last name Draga is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Draga.

Draga, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Draga surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Draga in America

Draga is the 138304th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Draga surname appeared 121 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Draga.

The history of the last name Draga

The surname Draga has its origins in Croatia, tracing back to the late 15th century. It is believed to be derived from the Croatian word "drag," meaning "dear" or "precious." The name was initially found in the coastal regions of Dalmatia and Istria, where it was commonly used among the local population.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Draga can be found in a 1492 census record from the city of Dubrovnik, where a certain Ivan Draga is mentioned as a merchant and landowner. This suggests that the name was already established in the area during that time period.

In the 16th century, the name appears in several documents related to the Republic of Venice, which ruled over parts of present-day Croatia at the time. One notable example is the 1534 tax records from the town of Korčula, which list several individuals with the surname Draga among the local taxpayers.

As the centuries passed, the Draga surname spread to other regions of Croatia, as well as neighboring countries with Croatian populations, such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia. Some notable individuals with this surname include:

1. Marko Draga (1835-1891), a Croatian lawyer and politician who served as the mayor of Dubrovnik in the late 19th century.
2. Jure Draga (1874-1942), a Croatian writer and journalist known for his contributions to the literary magazine "Hrvatska Misao" (Croatian Thought).
3. Josip Draga (1892-1968), a Croatian painter and sculptor who was part of the modern art movement in the early 20th century.
4. Ante Draga (1915-1987), a Croatian writer and poet, known for his works that explored themes of rural life and folklore.
5. Maja Draga (born 1975), a contemporary Croatian actress and television presenter, best known for her role in the popular TV series "Larin izbor" (Lara's Choice).

While the surname Draga has its roots in Croatia, it has also been found in other parts of the world, likely due to migration and intermarriage. However, the historical records and evidence suggest that its origins can be traced back to the coastal regions of Croatia, where it has been present for centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Draga

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Draga.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Draga was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Draga was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Draga, please contact us.

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